Sixty-eight more Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel deployed in Delhi have tested positive for novel Coronavirus taking the total cases in the paramilitary force to 127 across the country, including one death.
All the 68 jawans, who have tested positive for COVID-19, are attached to the CRPF 31st Battalion based in east Dehi’s Mayur Vihar. With this, the total positive cases in this battalion have reached 122, news agency ANI reported.
Earlier, a 55-year-old CRPF personnel on March 28 died due to the deadly new virus in Delhi. The deceased personnel was reported to be a sub-inspector (SI) rank official. He was admitted to the Safdarjung hospital a few days back after being tested positive for the virus. The trooper, who hailed from Barpeta district in Assam, was suffering from co-morbid conditions like diabetes and hypertension.
One CRPF personnel of 194th Battalion of its Rapid Action Force (RAF) tested positive in Ahmedabad earlier this month.
A total of six of the 89 personnel tested were found positive on Thursday. On Tuesday, 12 other personnel were declared corona positive. Fifteen CRPF men were found positive on April 26, including one Assistant Sub-Inspector and four Head Constables from the same battalion whose nine personnel had tested coronavirus positive on April 24.
The personnel of the 31st unit underwent tests after a Head Constable who visited the battalion recently tested positive for the virus.
The Head Constable, who was working as a nursing assistant, is part of the 162nd battalion deployed in Kupwara in Jammu and Kashmir and was visiting Noida on leave.
Soon after the nursing assistant was found corona positive, all his contacts were shifted to a quarantine centre.
The CRPF, the country’s largest Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), is mandated for internal security duties and anti-Naxal and counter-terrorist operations, apart from rendering regular law and order duties.
The updated information comes at a time when the deadly virus has already snuffed out 61 lives in the national capital, besides infecting a total of 3,738 people.
The CRPF has been at the forefront in helping out people from the national capital to Maoist-hit Dantewada district in Chhattisgarh in fight against COVID-19 pandemic.
On Friday, the the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) lauding the efforts of the CRPF, said the largest Central Armed Police Force (CAPFs) with over three lakh personnel helped the people across the country through its national helpline “CRPF Madadgaar”, a round the clock helpline for those in distress.
The Ministry mentioned how one battalion of the CRPF ensured supply of one lakh kg rice in Raipur.
It also mentioned that other CAPFs — including CISF, BSF, ITBP, SSB and NSG — have been frontline warriors in the fight against the pandemic.